Families seek refuge

Families at the Khalsa College
evacuation centre tuck into food packs provided by the Hindu Milan group
yesterday. Picture LUKE RAWALAI

THERE are more than 400 people seeking refuge in 10 evacuation centres in the North after flooding in the past few days.

Commissioner North Jovesa Vocea said the number of families in the evacuation centres fluctuated because many returned to the evacuation centre at night after cleaning and eating at their homes during the daytime.

In light of the adverse weather forecasted over the weekend, Mr Vocea has also called on members of the public to move to their nearest evacuation centres or higher ground if they felt the need to.

“Even though the tropical cyclone warning alert is more focused on the Western Division, we in the North are not spared,” he said.

“We don’t want to be caught off guard like the flooding we went through on Thursday and we want people to take action now.

“In the worst case scenario, we will open up more evacuation centres if the need arises and the weather deteriorates.”

Mr Vocea said so far, they were still liaising with the Ministry of Education on whether schools would begin next week in the Labasa area.

“However, National Fire Authority have begun cleaning affected schools and they began with All Saints Secondary School today (yesterday),” he said.